Activity 10.2 C: Choose your own polygon adventure

Math Activity: Polygons Adventure

Choose either option 1 or option 2 below.

Option 1: Regular Polygons 

Purpose: Explore properties of regular polygons.

Materials: Geogebra or paper, pencil, compass, protractor

Directions: Use one of the two methods shown in the book, on paper or with Geogebra Links to an external site. to make a regular pentagon and another regular polygon with more than 5 sides.

Method 1:

1. 1. Draw a straight line segment with a starting point and end point. 
   2. From the starting point, measure the proper vertex angle and draw a line through it. 
   3. On that new line mark a point to get a segment equal to the first segment.
   4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you get back to your starting point. 

Method 2: (cuter method)

1. 1. Mark a center point and an endpoint for a radius and draw a circle. 
   2. Mark another point on the circle using the proper central angle with a protractor. 
   3. Use a compass to repeat the distance between the points on the circle.
   4. Repeat step 3 moving around the circle until you get back where you started. 

Here is a link to my image from Geogebra using method 2. regular-pentagon-1.png Download regular-pentagon-1.png

Option 2: Polygon Tessellation

Purpose: Explore tessellating polygons.

Materials: paper, colored pencils or pens or markers, compass, protractor, scissors, tape, glue?; or a geometry app like Toy Theater Pattern Blocks Links to an external site. or Math Learning Center Pattern Blocks Links to an external site., I am not sure if this can be done with Geogebra.

Directions:

1. 1. Make a tessellation with a quadrilateral that is not a rectangle.
   2. Make a semiregular tessellation (examples and more Links to an external site.).